Louisville glamping resort Progress Park plans event-focused expansion. Here's what to expect

A glamping resort in the Buechel neighborhood is planning an expansion in 2024.

Progress Park, a 12-acre glamping operation at 4501 Progress Blvd., has made use of nostalgic Airstream travel trailers to offer a twist on the traditional camping experience since 2018.

It’s now working to expand with a 10,000-square-foot event center that will allow for events year-round. The venue had been using an 80-by-40-foot tent for events.

“We are thrilled about the addition of a multi-use, versatile space that will allow us the capability to host events of all kinds and sizes year-round,” co-owner Val Pifer said in a news release. “The Event Center is an extension of our vision for the Park, which is to create a place where guests can feel secluded in nature while enjoying modern conveniences and amenities.”

The new-build event space will have garage doors that allow for open air flow. Plans call for a catering prep area, wraparound covered patio, and recessed stage.

The expansion broke ground in late 2023 and is expected to open in late spring or early summer 2024.

Two families, Nick and Karey McDowell and Mike and Val Pifer, bought the vacant property near the intersection of Bardstown and Buechel Bank roads in 2016 for $290,000, deed records show. They spent two years creating the glamping space, reshaping the property themselves.

Opening with just two Airstreams, there are now seven travel trailers as well as two houses and a bunk house.

The reservation-only park includes a hiking trail, a covered pavilion, a 2-acre pond, and four beaches, complete with kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. It also features a playground and an area with lawn games.

Growth & development reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at [email protected], 502-582-4000 or on Twitter @mattglo.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville glamping resort Progress Park expanding with event center